Spaceship Endevour gets an extra passenger - The robot Dextre
When the spacecraft Endeavour blasts off in yet another voyage to the International Space Station, it will have one more passenger in addition to it's crew of seven astronauts, the robot Dextre, albeit in unassembled guise. This two armed robot is the first of its kind to be deployed in the International Space Station, it will perform various risky operations which the astronauts generally find tough. One of the first jobs of the astronauts on the Endeavour will be to assemble the Dextre and deploy it. The two armed Dextre has seven joints in each arm which enable the arm to twist and turn and perform very complex maneuvers which a normal human hand will find impossible to perform. The ends of each arm will also feature pincers that will help Dextre to literally be very dexterous and accomplish tasks like driving in nuts (pun not intended).
This robot has been in development for ten years and will now serve the International Space Station for fifteen long years, that is, if it manages to survive the ravages of outer space. And if you were wondering how much this two armed robot would has cost NASA, brace yourself, an eye popping two hundred and ten million greenbacks. Now that is one expensive robot.
Via: ABC News
